London-based chef and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi will not be opening in New York, or anywhere outside of London for that matter, in the foreseeable future. Ottolenghi sat down with Bloomberg critic Richard Vines to discuss the expansion of his empire of namesake restaurants. The chef and hisbusiness partner Sami Tamimirecently opened the fourth location of their restaurant Ottolenghi in London's City neighborhood. Ottolenghi tells Vines, "We wanted to go to an area with a little more of a business vibe. All the other Ottolenghis are really very residential."
When Vines asks Ottolenghi if they plan to open outside of London, say in some place like New York City, the chef quickly shuts down the idea: "We have been resisting opening restaurants outside of London altogether, [and] New York is pretty far." Ottolenghi — who isa noted control freak — explains that he and Sami "are pretty compulsive in terms of control — or wanting to control — the quality and the way things work," adding that he finds it "very difficult to imagine having a restaurant that is not around the block." He notes, "There have been suggestions [to expand elsewhere], but for now we are keeping it London-focused."
While Americans may not be able to eat at one of Ottolenghi's restaurants anytime soon, they can still cook his food. Ottolenghi is releasinganother cookbook — this time based off of his restaurant NOPI — in October. Check out the interview below:
FAQs
Ottolenghi is widely beloved for his beautiful, inspirational, and award-winning cookbooks, yet he had an unlikely beginning. In 1997, Ottolenghi completed a combined bachelor's and master's degree in comparative literature at Tel Aviv University; his thesis was on the philosophy of the photographic image.
Who is Yotam Ottolenghi's husband? ›
Does Yotam Ottolenghi have a restaurant in NYC? ›
London-based chef and cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi will not be opening in New York, or anywhere outside of London for that matter, in the foreseeable future.
What type of food is Ottolenghi? ›
It became a place with no single description but was a clear reflection of our obsessive relationship with food. From this, Ottolenghi has developed a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, but which also draws in diverse influences and ingredients from around the world.
When did Ottolenghi become famous? ›
His debut cookery book Ottolenghi: The Cookbook was published in 2008.
What is the Ottolenghi effect? ›
His commitment to the championing of vegetables, as well as ingredients once seen as 'exotic', has led to what some call 'The Ottolenghi effect'. This is shorthand for the creation of a meal which is full of color, flavor, bounty, and surprise.
Is Ottolenghi vegan? ›
The guy's an omnivore but his recipes are overwhelmingly vegetarian and vegan. His vegetarian (not vegan) cookbook Plenty< spent years near the top of Britain's bestseller lists.
Is Ottolenghi a Michelin star? ›
So far, his books have sold 5 million copies, and Ottolenghi - although he has never even been awarded a Michelin star and without being considered a great chef - has successfully blended Israeli, Iranian, Turkish, French and, of course, Italian influences to create a genre that is (not overly) elegant, international, ...
Who is the CEO of Ottolenghi? ›
The seven-strong restaurant group, Ottolenghi has appointed Emilio Foa as Group CEO, who brings over 20 years of experience at global high-end consumer brands.
Does Ottolenghi eat meat? ›
If anything, Mr. Ottolenghi — tall and dapper, with salt-and-pepper hair, half-rim glasses and a penchant for pink-striped button-downs and black sneakers — should be a vegetarian pinup. But here's the rub: he eats meat. Apparently this is enough to discredit him in the eyes of the most devout abstainers.
While there are a handful of meat and fish dishes, the recipes are overwhelmingly vegetarian. The Ottolenghi approach to vegetables is where I think these books really shine, awarding an indulgence and satisfaction that can be missing in many plant-based dishes.
What to serve with Ottolenghi baked rice? ›
This is such a great side to all sorts of dishes: roasted root vegetables, slowcooked lamb or pork.
Who is the king of the culinary world? ›
About Auguste Escoffier
Beginning his career at 13 years of age, Auguste Escoffier was quickly consumed with ambition to become the best and moved steadily upward until he was known as the King of Chefs, Chef of Kings.
Who are the best cooks in mythology? ›
Sita and Draupadi were exceptional cooks who had great sages, kings, and Gods eating out of their hands. The Mahabharata, however, mentions two exceptional Masterchefs who were second to none when it came to this sacred art: Bheemasena and Nala Maharaja.
